Royd attended one of the ORC (One Ring Con) events in Pasadena in 2005. He mingled with the other attendees, spoke about his experiences in NZ, autographed things, and was generally open, personable, and (yes) cool. I got him to autograph my 50th Anniv. Ed. of LotR.

I don't think it's fair to categorize the entire family in any particular fashion. They're all individuals with their own tastes and preferences. The Estate, in contrast, is a non-profit organization with its directors and policies. Right now it has taken the position that it does not support film/TV versions of the books beyond those rights that were sold back in the day. That's a far cry from saying the family (or even Christopher) "hates" the films.

Join us NOW in the Reading Room for detailed discussions of The Hobbit, July 9-Nov. 18!